2024 Preseason Preview: St. Ignatius
February 15, 2024
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The 2024 California high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across California.
Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in their respective CIF Section Championship Game, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across California. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason Power 25 rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action and the Third Annual Prep Baseball California Spring Invitational.
Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across California. Each week we will be releasing our Power 25, Players of the Week, Diamond Notes, Podcasts and much more.
Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.
High School: St. Ignatius Wildcats
Head Coach: Brian Pollzzie
CIF Section: CIF- CCS, Division 1
Conference League: West Catholic Athletic League
2023 Record: 20-12
Team X Handle: @SIWildcatsBB
Team Strengths: Athleticism, Versatility & Chemistry
No. of Returning Starters: 6
No. of Returning Pitchers: 6
Areas of Improvement: Consistency
COMMITTED PLAYERS
+ ‘26 RHP/INF Archer Horn - Stanford - 6'2, 190 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED SENIORS
+ ‘24 OF Rocco Giometti - 6'3 195 lbs.
+ ‘24 INF Evann Smith - 5'11, 170 lbs.
+ ‘24 INF Makai Susor - 6'0 195 lbs.
+ ‘24 OF Malcom Felix - 5'11 165 lbs.
+ ‘24 OF Dom Camarillo - 5'7 155 lbs.
+ ‘24 C Patrick Ruane - 6'1 175 lbs.
TOP UNCOMMITTED JUNIORS
+ ‘25 OF/INF Emmett Johnson - 5'10 160 lbs.
+ ‘25 RHP/INF Beau Schaffer - 6'0 185 lbs.
TOP UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS
Class of 2026
+ ‘26 LHP/1B Chase Gordon - 6'1 170 lbs.
+ ‘26 INF Ryan Rosenthal - 6'4 215 lbs.
+ ‘26 C/INF AJ Wineinger - 5'11 170 lbs.
+ ‘26 RHP Finn Demuth - 6'0 190 lbs.
+ ‘26 INF Jack Callen - 5'8 130 lbs.
+ ‘26 OF DJ Delaney - 5'10 165 lbs.
Class of 2027
+ ‘27 RHP/INF RJ Church
+ ‘27 C Will Coleman
TEAM OUTLOOK
Last season, the Wildcats amassed 20 wins but faltered in league play en route to a fifth place finish but during the playoffs, they got hot. After earning a No. 4 seed in the NorCal Division Regionals, St. Ignatius battled all the way to a Regional Championship. In 2024 they will look to do more of the same with many of the faces that helped them accomplish their championship run.
The Wildcats will rely on a tight-knit core of seniors this season. ‘24 Rocco Giometti is a projectable left-handed hitter that has reportedly made “big strides this offseason” according to head coach Brian Pollzzie. ‘24 Evann Smith will provide versatile athleticism for St. Ignatius as he blasted five home runs last year, while also swiping 16 bags en route to a Second-Team All WCAL selection. Some other seniors to note are three-year starter ‘24 Malcolm Felix, two-year starter ‘24 Dom Camarillo, ‘24 Makai Susor, and two-year starter ‘24 Patrick Ruane.
Juniors ‘25 Emmett Johnson and ‘25 Beau Schaffer are a pair of versatile prospects that will contribute to the Wildcats in a number of ways. Johnson is a “top of the order bat” according to Coach Pollzzie, who stole 16 bags last season. As for Schaffer, he will see time on both sides of the ball who is expected to be one of the top arms St. Ignatius’ rotation.
Now getting into underclassmen, the Wildcats have a talented group of sophomores that are expected to play big roles this season. Highlighting this class is ‘26 Archer Horn who enjoyed an ultra-successful season last year, where he pitched to an ERA of 1.86, all while leading the team in batting average (.357), too, en route to a First-Team All WCAL selection. The talent does not stop there though; ‘26 Chase Gordon earned some valuable varsity experience last year, where he threw in some clutch innings down the stretch for St. Ignatius, and he is set to see his workload increase during his sophomore season. More sophomores to know on this team are power bat ‘26 Ryan Rosenthal, versatile defender ‘26 Aj Wineinger, athletic defender ‘26 Jack Callen, left-handed hitting ‘26 DJ Delaney, and right-handed pitcher ‘26 Finn Demuth.
Coach Brian Pollzzie’s Expectations: “Top 4 in WCAL, CCS & Norcal Playoff Runs”